A COMMITTED churchgoer who once followed Mahatma Gandhi along London’s Regent Street has celebrated her 100th birthday.

Nell Jones, of Garnwen Terrace, Nantyffyllon, celebrated her 100 years last Saturday with a meal for family and friends in Mumbles.

Born in Llandybie in West Wales, on August 13, 1911, Mrs Jones was brought up in Coytrahen, where she attended the Wesleyan Chapel and was educated at Tondu School.

At the age of 18, Mrs Jones went to London, working and living with her aunts in a private nursing home. She remained there for a few years before nursing in Tooting Beck Hospital.

When her mother became ill, Mrs Jones returned to Llechryd in Cardigan to nurse her.

After her mother’s death, Mrs Jones returned to London and, her claim to fame, one day saw Mahatma Gandhi in Regent Street.

She followed him to Swallow Street where he entered an Indian restaurant.

“I was homesick and fed up, but he made my day because he was close enough for me to touch him,” said Mrs Jones. “But I didn’t and we didn’t speak, but it was enough that I had seen him.”

Mrs Jones went back to Llechryd in 1933 to marry her husband, Glyn, who she had met in Coytrahen when a young boy she knew introduced them. After the marriage they went to live at her husband’s home in Talbot Terrace, Maesteg, until they bought the house she still lives in. Mr Jones died in 1978, two years after Mrs Jones had retired. She had worked in the Ministry of Food in Neath before moving to Swansea at the end of the war.

During her retirement Mrs Jones joined the Llandaff League of Friends, and went on holiday with the organisation twice a year – once in the UK and once abroad.

She particularly enjoyed Portugual but they also went to Israel twice where she said the soldiers carried guns to take children to school. But she said she loved the feeling of walking where Jesus had walked.

Mrs Jones was a regular worshipper at St Peter’s Church, Nantyffyllon, but now attends St Cynfelyn’s, Caerau. While at St Peter’s she was a choir member.

“I can’t sing but Alan Gray said it didn’t matter because I’d always be there,” she said.

Mrs Jones said she enjoys life, likes people and going to her church plus she has a great sense of humour. Celebrations continued over the weekend with a cake and gifts at St Cynfelyn’s after church on the Sunday.

And Mrs Jones was thrilled to receive a card from the Queen and was delighted with her bouquet presented by Maesteg town mayor Coun Gareth Howells and his consort Mary Kirk.